Tale of Two Strangers
by Okuyukashii
Summary: NejiSaku—Not a love story, but more of a I'm-running-away-from-fangirls-and-you're-not-one-so-let's-hang-out story. Or so they thought. Told through drabbles.
1. Avoiding the Fanclub

**A**_**v**__oid_ing **th**e Fa_n__c_**l****u**_**b**_

.

**Naruto? Yeah, don't own.**

...

..

.

An irate Neji strode past as a group of fangirls huddled together waddled towards him. He thought they might have been trying to be discreet, but it obviously wasn't working. Pushing away the thought of getting rid of them for good, he tried to think of a solution that wouldn't land him in the Hokage Tower with an angry Tsunade.

Though he wished he had a better idea, he recalled Sasuke's words.

_They annoy you, do they not, Hyuuga? Since you obviously have no clue as to how to get rid of them, I'll tell you something. Mine left me alone after they saw me having ice-cream with Sakura._

So theoretically, all Neji had to do was find a girl who wasn't part of his fangirl club and be seen with them a few times. Then they would nod and go their own ways, never to see each other again save for a glimpse of the other while walking the streets of Konoha. At least, that's how it played out in Neji's mind.

Now to find a suitable female...

Because Neji was naturally very picky, he also had other specifications. The girl would have to be a ninja. She would be strong and able to protect herself, as well as have good acting abilities. While this should be a given for a kunoichi, he wondered if there was a girl who would actually want to do this favour for him.

Neji sighed.

This could take a while. And his fangirls weren't getting any less enthusiastic.

He ducked into an alley and waited.


	2. In Retrospect

In R_e__**tr**_**os**pe_**c**_**t**

**.**

**I still don't own Naruto? What a surprise.**

...

**..**

**.**

Sakura had been minding her own business and was picking out vegetables. Looking back, she found it rather ironic that she had been wishing for some kind of change to her dull daily routine when _it_ happened.

One moment, she was browsing through heads of lettuce and the next, an irritated Hyuuga had stopped beside her.

"Let me...stand beside you." He looked strange, as if he was heavily annoyed and trying not to show it. She thought she saw an eyebrow twitch.

Sakura blinked. That was the strangest request she'd heard in a while—and that was saying something, as she was teammates with Sasuke and he liked to ask for things in the weirdest ways.

"O-okay?" she said hesitantly.

Sakura didn't know what she was getting herself into. Later, Sakura couldn't say she regretted it, either.


	3. Delayed Reactions

_**D**__e_la**y****e**_**d R**_**e**a**ct**io_ns_

.

**I don't own Naruto.**

...

..

.

He couldn't have picked a better person to meet on the street. Sakura had something of a reputation among the fangirls—half of them ran away at the sight of her.

The mob of girls skidded around the corner and stopped abruptly at the sight of what looked like Neji having a nice conversation with Sakura. They hesitantly crept closer. The majority had left.

Meanwhile, Neji was asking Sakura something very important.

"Can you help me?" Sakura stared at the unusual sight of the Great Hyuuga Neji asking for help.

"For what?" she replied slowly.

"For...them." He nodded in the direction of the girls.

Sakura nodded in understanding. It wasn't the first time she'd taken this role, and she actually enjoyed it. There was something so utterly satisfying about bringing reality to those mindless followers. She hoped that they'd find someone who they would truly like someday.

"Alright, then. Shall we go to lunch?"

It was Neji's turn to stare. It wasn't that he hadn't expected her to agree (he didn't), but that she agreed so easily.

Sakura hooked her arm with his and winked. She pulled him along and waited for the shrieks of angry fangirls—she wasn't disappointed.

It was only when they were sitting down at an outdoors table at a casual restaurant that Neji realized something.

"Wait, aren't you with Uchiha?"


	4. A Comfortable Silence

**A****_ C_****o**mf_o**rt**a_b_l_e Si**l**_enc_**e**

.

**I don't own Naruto.**

**I am so sorry to anyone who might be waiting for some kind of update from me (this fic or otherwise). I have plenty of ideas, but none I'm happy with. I'm trying, but school is tiring. I'm dead on my feet right now from co-op. -.-**

...

..

.

Whatever Neji had expected when he asked her if she was with Sasuke, it certainly wasn't this. She burst out in laughter, stopping herself only after seeing the bewildered look on Neji's face.

"What, were you one of the fangirls who saw us at the ice-cream parlour?" she smiled.

"No. Uchiha told me about it and I presumed..." he trailed off, deciding that being wrong once in one day was enough.

"Eh? No, we're just teammates. I was helping him out."

"I see..."

Sometime during the lull that followed, they noticed that it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. It was that gentle kind, the one that allowed for shallow musings and a mutual feeling of content.

"Dessert?"


End file.
